Wire and clothes-line tightener



(No Model.)

G. H. SALISBURY.

WIRE ANDOLOTHES LINE TIGHTE'NER. No. 255,033. Patented Mar. 14.1882.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIeE.

CHARLES H. SALISBURY, OF DE KALB, ILLINOIS.

WlRE AND CLOTH ES-LINE TIGHTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 255,033, dated March 14, 1882.

Application filed November 26, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES H. SALISBURY, of De Kalb, county of De Kalb, in the State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire and Clothes-Line Tighteners, of which the following is a-sp'ecilication.

This invention, which is designed to cheapen and simplify the construction of this class of implements,consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as hereinafter set forth. In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top view of my improved stretcher as it appears when in position for use. Fig. 2 is a central horizontal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a side view of the arm carrying the clamping device for taking hold of the ropeor wire to be stretched. Fig. 4 is a side view of the drum, and Fig. 5 is a verticalsectiou of the same upon the line :2 y of Fig. 1.

In said drawings, A represents a double crank for operating the winding-drum, having short handles a at each end projecting through to either side, as clearly shown. By this feature the palm of the hand is caused to come centrally upon the handle, relieving the hand of much of the exertion heretofore thrown upon it, and enabling the exertion of a greater force with less expenditure of muscular strength. There is also less disposition by the apparatus to departt'rom the horizontal, or, in other words,

to twist around the line of draft. Handles of this nature need not get broken or come out. In all these respects they are much superior to handles projecting wholly from one side ofthe crank.

B is the grap 'iling-arm, carrying the clamp ing device I), by which attachment is made to the rope or Wire to be tightened. It is mounted upon the stem or trunnion A projecting from the center of-the crank, and is held thereon by the winding-drum O. The sleeve 1) is to broaden the bearingupon the trunnion. The notch b in the trunnion-opening is to permit the arm being passed over the retaining-stop c on the trunnion. a projection, 67, which serves as a pivot for the pawl D. The drum has the ratchet 0 cast upon one side, and when placed upon the trunnion the ratchet side is next to the arm, and

This arm has cast upon it the rim of the drum confines said pawl upon its pivot, thereby dispensing with any riveting for holding the pawl.

In theinteriorof thedrum is an annularrim, 0, cut away at one point to permit the passage over the stop 0, and beyond this rim is a camsnrface, 0 preferably double-that is to say, sloping both ways from a point opposite the cut in the rim. With this construction the drum may he slipped upon the trunnion and then turned thereon until the stop 0 and the provided with an eye, If, to permit the insertion of a hook or the attachment'ol" some other object than a wire or clothes-line. This is a convenience, as the device may be used for other purposes than merely tightening fences and ropes-such as hoisting and the like-and saidpye allows the securing of a rope or hook to the arm.

The stretcher thus constructed is, I believe, the simplest yet produced, and while thus eheapened is not less efi'ective than its more cumbersome and complicated predecessors.

I disclaim in this application the double fixed crank-handle, broadly considered, as I have shown such in a prior application.

I claim-- y 1. In a rope and fence stretcher, a doublecrank handle provided with short haudles,-projecting upon each side of the crank, substantially as specified.

2. The crank havingthe trunnion, in combination with the grappling-arm and the drum, both mounted and secured on said trunnion, the arm beingbetween the crank and thedrum, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with the drum provided with a ratchet upon its side, of the grapplingarm, and the pawl pivoted upon the arm within the circumference of the drum-rim, whereby with the drum slipped upon the trunnionnnd the pawl is confined on its pivot withoutrivet-. having an interior rim and cam-surface acting ing, substantially as specified. in conjunction with said stop to secure it there- 15 4. The stretcher consisting of a crank havon, substantially as specified. ing a projecting trunnion, a grappling-arm 6. In astretcher,agrappling-armhaving an mounted upon said trunnion, nextto the crank, eye, b at its outer end, substantially as and and bearing a pivot for the ratchet-pawl, said for the purpose set forth. pawl, and a drum having a ratchet cast thereon at one side, and secured upon the same CHARLES SALISLURY' trunnion with its ratchet side toward the arm, Witnesses: substantially as specified. H. M. MUNDAY,

5. The trunnion and its stop,in combination I T. EVERETT BROWN. 

